The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-05-11
THE WAGNER ROBBERY.

During the week passed the attempt
ed robbery of Jacob Wagner, has beer
the all absorbing topic among our cit
izens, and has created more excite
ment in this and adjoining counties
than has ever occurred for a long
number of years.
On last Wednesday morning after
the REPUBLICAN went to press Coron.
er Morrow impaneled a Jury and
held an inquest on the body of the
dead burglar. The following is the
verdict of the Coroner's inquest
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
FOREST COUNTY ss
An inquisition indented and taken at the
house of Jacob Wagner, Tionesta Town
ship, in the County of Forest, the 4th dav
of May, i'll the year of our Lord one thous-
and eight hundred and eighty-seven, be-
fore me, J. w. Morrow, Coroner of the
county aforesaid, upon the view of the
body of William J. McCleary then and
there lying dead, upon the oaths of j. r.
Chadwick, j. b. Muse, G.. w. Sawyer, w.
f. Blum, S. s. Garfield, and II. S. Brock
way, good and lawful men of the county
aforesaid, who being sworn, to inquire on
the part of the Commonwealth the when.
where and how, and after what manner,
the said William j. McCleary came to his
death, do say upon their oath that one.
Adam Wagner, in defense of his father q
family and property, on the third day of
May, one thousand eight hundred and
eighty-seven, between the hours of eight
and nine, in the night of same day, did
then and there make an assault upon
William j. McCleary (who with others
were engaged in attempted murder and
robbery with Winchester rifle, and a
discharge therefrom, did hit him in the
centre of his breast, passing through his
body, of which mortal wound, the afore-
said William j. McCleary then and there
instantly died. We deem the aforesaid
Adam Wagner was not guilty of any Grim
inal otfense, he being justified in the act.
In witness, whereof as well the afore-
said Coroner, as the Jurors aforesaid,
have to this inquisition put their hands
and seals this tenth day of May, one thous-
and eight hundred and eighty seven, at
the office of the Coroner.
J. w. MORROW, [L.s.l Coroner.
J. r. CHADWICK, LIS
j. B. MusE, LIS.
GEO, w. SAWYER, TL.s.1
w. +. BLUM, las
>. y. CANFIELD, LIS.
III. s. BRoCKwAY, LIS
On Wednesday evening the body
was brought to Haslet's undertaking
rooms at this place.
On Thursday kilograms were re.
ceived from Edenburg, that two sus.
picious characters had been arrested
that morning. Sheriff Agnew, accom-.
panied by his deputies, T. F. Ritchey,
j. F. Proper, H. H. Shoemaker and
Constable Garfield, arrived there
Thursday evening and took the pris.
oners in charge, who prove to be Shell.
don Wilson, Thomas Haggerty and
Samuel Shell, all residents of Clarion
county, and Friday at 8 p. m., had
them safely lodged behind the bars at
this place.
The following account of the capture
of the prisoners, was written by one
of the sheriff's deputies "Haggerty
arrived in Edenburg about 8 o'clock
Thursday morning, May 5, and got
breakfast at Showalter's about 4
o'clock, also lunch put up. He
hired a black horse and coverd car.
riage from a liveryman named Floyd,
and start ed towards Lineville, stop.
ping at farm house near there getting
a couple Of quarts of milk, which he
took with him. At Lineville he in
quired the way. This was about s
O'Clock in the morning. DIR. j. w.
Carey, who thought he was suspi.
cious character from his black eye,
was the first to follow him, tying his
horse at the roadside, about q
miles from Lineville, and about four
mile from Wagner's the place where
the robbery was committed. Carey
drove by and soon saw Haggsrty get
another man 10 the buggy, and start
back the same way he came. Carey
kept in sight of the parties, and was
soon joined by j. H. Mcpherson and
Orah Smith, who kept close by them.
The suspicious parties drove slow, and
to not notice any one. They
drove to Elk City, where one of the
parties got out at the depot, who after
wards proved to be Wilson. Hagger.
ty drove on to Edenburg and returned
horse, and shortly afterward was sur.
rounded and captured in an out house.
Wilson boarded the train at Elk
City, paying bis fare to Foxburg, Nc.
PhersOn and officer getting on the train
with him. When the train arrived al
he was arrested and placed
ia the cooler with Hapoerty On